NEWS BRIEFS

Former astronaut Lisa Nowak can remove an electronic monitoring bracelet while she awaits trial on charges she attacked a romantic rival, a judge ruled yesterday.

ORLANDO, FLA. Ex-astronaut behaved, can remove bracelet, judge rules

Former astronaut Lisa Nowak can remove an electronic monitoring bracelet while she awaits trial on charges she attacked a romantic rival, a judge ruled yesterday.

Nowak had argued that the ankle bracelet was expensive, uncomfortable and prevented her from exercising. Judge Marc L. Lubet said that those claims did not matter, but that Nowak had behaved well enough over the past seven months to remove the device.

MEXICO CITY Thousands evacuated from skyscraper after bomb found

More than 10,000 people were evacuated yesterday from Latin America's tallest building after police found a handmade bomb inside a car parked in the garage, authorities said.

A bomb squad retrieved the device -- consisting of three metal tubes filled with gunpowder, cables and a cell phone, all tied together with tape -- from the 740-foot Torre Mayor on Mexico City's main Reforma Avenue, the city's Public Security Department said in a news release.

There were no initial claims of responsibility.

TRENTON, N.J. Art sets from China recalled over lead paint

Toys "R" Us, based in Wayne, N.J., is recalling thousands of art sets made in China over excessive levels of lead in some black watercolor paints.

Toys "R" Us Inc. and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall yesterday, saying printed ink on the packaging of the Imaginarium Wooden Coloring Cases also contained lead. They said no injuries have been reported.

Toys "R" Us bought the sets from Funtastic, a unit of a Hong Kong distribution company called FPL Group.

The 213-item set contains crayons, pastels, watercolors, a palette and other supplies in a wooden carrying case. Consumers are advised to immediately return the sets to the nearest Toys "R" Us for store credit, or call 1-800-869-7787.

CHICAGO Police shut area near bank; robbery suspect vanishes

Police locked down schools, blocked streets and ordered businesses to close yesterday as they surrounded a bank where they thought a gunman was possibly holding hostages -- only to discover hours later that the man had escaped and had never held anyone inside.

Witnesses said a man wearing surgical scrubs and a mask over his mouth and nose brandished a handgun and announced a robbery at the First Commercial Bank, FBI Special Agent Tom Simon said.

Investigators now think the gunman fled before he could grab any money or even reach a teller, Simon said. But with some employees still inside, authorities did not know whether they were being held against their will until the employees began emerging nearly two hours later.

A speeding train carrying hundreds of commuters slammed into an empty train near Rio de Janeiro yesterday, killing at least eight people and injuring 80, officials said.

The collision about 200 yards from a train station on Rio's poor north side left some people trapped in wreckage.

Up to 850 people were aboard the commuter train traveling at 60 mph when it crashed into the rear end of an empty train, which was being moved from one track to another, firefighters and train company officials said.